Diversity, classification and ethnobotanical uses of wild edible fruit plants with special reference to Kallar and Ponmudi region of Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve, Kerala, India

Abstract

Quite a lot of local fruits found to occur as part of wilderness in and around the forest regions of Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve of the Southern Western Ghats, which are traditionally consumed by the provincial rural folk communities. Conservation of these promising germplasm repositories would certainly be rewarded in food security of the nation for upcoming horticulture and plant breeding improvement programmes. Occasionally, some of these wild edible minor fruits harvested from forests are noticed among the countryside markets for sale; however, these fruits are apparently lesser known to the modern world. The current article is focussed upon the diversity, classification and ethnobotanical uses of wild edible fruit species in general and in particular with the agro-biodiversity of semi-domesticated and lesser- known wild prototypes of edible fruit plants from Kallar and Ponmudi region of Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve. The article is illustrated with 30 wild edible fruit plant species belonging to 13 angiosperm families, their classification and phenology. It includes 4 threatened taxa demarcated under the IUCN category of the Red Data Book. The collected plants classified based on their popularity and distribution. The local data collected from the study area including their edible and medicinal uses by Kani tribes.